First Frost

 

excerpt from "love and fairy cake"

“Mum!” It's the birthday girl, looking more or less like her cake. “Mum, Grandma says I can't have cake yet. Can I have lollies?” “Sure honey” replies a tired mother vaguely. “I mean, no. of course not!” She shakes herself awake and shepherds Sky to the kitchen to cut some fruit.

Knife in one hand, kettle the other, apple tucked under an arm and water running, Lucy “mmm”s and “really”s along to Sky's chatter. Never an especially quiet child, today's exitement has Sky talking a mile a minute. Lucy tries to concentrate, but her brain feels fuzzy. After staying up late finishing an essay, the remainder of the night had been broken several times by Sky crying out, and eventually Lucy had taken her back to her own bed. These nightmare wakings were becoming routine- and wearing her down.

Sky's monologue is interrupted by the doorbell. Lucy hears her mother's familiar step in the hall, but Sky squeals and beats Mary to the door. Lucy glances at the clock, panicked. She's not ready for guests. What if it's him? She hasn't even showered yet, she can't- ohmygod, he can't- she makes a dash for the door, hoping to disapear upstairs before he sees her. Instead she rushes into the hall just in time to see the door open and Shaun appear.

berry-spattered and grinning
she holds the stage

teenage aunties get their pants dirty;
kick off dainty shoes to play on the ground

their boyfriends
-uncomfortable-
swig beer and try not to say
awwhh